Much to prove up front

Eagles offensive line will have to show some progress in the preseason opener with Jacksonville

August 12, 2010|By Nick Fierro, OF THE MORNING CALL

The middle three are always where you start when assessing an offensive line's worth. Doesn't matter how good or poor the more valuable spot of left tackle is, either.

The middle three are what the Eagles' offensive coaches will be (and what concerned fans should be) most interested in watching when the team opens its preseason at home Friday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In fact, they should be the top three positions of interest, period.

For the Eagles, it's especially critical because all three starters Friday have much to prove, beginning with center Mike McGlynn, who's in for the injured Nick Cole (knee), who had been in for Jamaal Jackson (knee, PUP list).

This is McGlynn's third year and his pass protection abilities remain the ultimate question. All the reps he's been getting with the first team with Cole out this past week should have helped him get up to speed on all the calls, but offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg hinted, in so many words, that protecting the quarterback is what he's concerned about most.

"He's very, very good in the run game," Mornhinweg said.

Which is code for: "He needs to get his pass protection to that level as well."

Cole's injury will give A.Q. Shipley a better chance to make a name for himself as well, although he has been battling through an ankle injury.

Mornhinweg also had an interesting statement to make about Max Jean-Gilles, who will be starting at the left guard spot that is normally occupied by Todd Herremans, who has joined Jackson on the PUP list with a chronic foot condition and will not be available.

Jean-Gilles was close to 400 pounds last season, when he was made the starter to replace Cole, who had been playing there until Jackson went down with a torn ACL last December. Cole then switched over to center to replace Jackson for the regular-season finale and, well, you get the idea of how last season quickly disintegrated.

But lap-band surgery in the offseason has helped Jean-Gilles bring his weight under control. He's under 350 now and, according to Mornhinweg, "he's playing great football right now, but it's important for him to keep going."

Right guard Stacy Andrews opened last season, his first with the team, as a starter. He wound up making just one more start as he struggled to come back, perhaps too soon, from ACL surgery just nine months earlier. After all, Andrews spent most of last year's training camp working off to the side because he wasn't physically ready to participate in the team drills. That left him ill-prepared to start the season.

"It was coming back from the injury, not enough [experience in camp] and learning the techniques — those three things," said Andrews, explaining last season. "So that kind of slowed me down a little bit, but this year I'm in the mix with everything and I'm good.

"I feel 10 times better, I got a full offseason in with [offensive line coach] Juan [Castillo] and working with the guys on the offense, and that helped out a whole lot."

Staying with the offensive line for a moment, last season also was a disappointment for left tackle Jason Peters, who was labeled by coach Andy Reid as the best left tackle in football when the Eagles acquired him in a trade with Buffalo. But Peters at times looked like he was a cut below the man he replaced, Tra Thomas, who had been allowed to leave via free agency.

"It's really simple for me," Peters said. "Last year I was learning, I was trying to get the techniques and stuff down. This year it's a little bit easier. I know the stuff and I have the technique down. I'm still learning a little bit, but it's easier this year.

"From a one to 10, I'd say I was about a six-and-a-half or seven [last year]. I think that I can do better, that's what I'm working on this camp, just getting my stuff down."

To get an idea of how much transition there's been for the offensive line since the end of the 2008 season, right tackle Winston Justice today can arguably be called the anchor.

Justice came into last summer without even a roster spot being assured. He enters tonight's contest as the only offensive lineman on the roster to play in every game last season.

"The goal, as always, is just to be a great offensive lineman," Justice said. "I'm not there yet."